memeorandum: We Talked to the Man Behind That Nigerian Pete Buttigieg Fan Account. It's Not Lis Smith. (Ali Breland/Mother Jones)

9:35 PM ET, February 16, 2020

Top Items:

Katie Benner / New York Times:

Former Justice Dept. Lawyers Press for Barr to Step Down — More than 1,100 former prosecutors and officials who served in Republican and Democratic administrations signed an open letter condemning the president and the attorney general over the Stone case.

Discussion: Redstate, The Guardian, POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit and NBC News

DOJ Alumni Statement / Medium:

DOJ Alumni Statement on the Events Surrounding the Sentencing of Roger Stone — We, the undersigned, are alumni of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) who have collectively served both Republican and Democratic administrations. Each of us strongly condemns President Trump's …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, CNN, Townhall, NPR, HuffPost, Big League Politics, Law & Crime, UPI, Little Green Footballs, Rolling Stone, Vox, Axios, Politico, The Hill, Slate, Common Dreams, Mother Jones, The Guardian, WBUR and Washington Post

Joyce White Vance / TIME:

If William Barr Truly Believed in Rule of Law, He Would Resign — Vance is distinguished professor of the practice of law at the University of Alabama, a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama and an NBC News and MSNBC legal analyst. — “Nothing could be more destructive …

Discussion: Raw Story

Jacob Knutson / Axios:
Over 1,100 former DOJ officials call for Barr's resignation

Discussion: Politico and The Hill

Devlin Barrett / Washington Post:
More than 1,100 ex-Justice Department officials call for Barr's resignation

Discussion: Twitchy

Ashley Feinberg / Slate:

Meet the Man Who Tweeted “It's Lis,” Who Is Not Lis Smith — One could be forgiven for a bit of skepticism where Pete Buttigieg's campaign and its supporters are concerned. This is a politician who claimed to have no knowledge of or involvement in the editing of his Wikipedia presence …

Jane Lytvynenko / BuzzFeed News:

A Nigerian Man Is Actually Behind That Pro-Pete Buttigieg Twitter Account — The man who runs the @easychinedu account — widely accused of being a sockpuppet for a Mayor Pete Buttigieg staffer — told BuzzFeed News that he is a genuine supporter and has nothing to do with the South Bend mayor's campaign.

Discussion: Mediaite and Twitchy

Ellen Cranley / Business Insider:

A senior adviser for Pete Buttigieg was accused of running a fake Nigerian supporter account, but the man who created it says it's a big misunderstanding — Lis Smith, a senior communications adviser for Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign, was accused of running a fake account that appeared to be a Nigerian Buttigieg supporter.

Ali Breland / Mother Jones:

We Talked to the Man Behind That Nigerian Pete Buttigieg Fan Account. It's Not Lis Smith. — “It's very stressful. It's almost midnight here and I've just been dealing with controversies all day,” said a man claiming to behind the @easychinedu account, a pro-Pete Buttigieg account …

Alayna Treene / Axios:

Trump's revenge tour has the House in its sights — In the lead-up to the 2018 midterm elections — buoyed by Republican control of both chambers — President Trump viewed campaigning for the House as a lower-tier priority and instead poured his energy into rallying for the Senate.

Discussion: Raw Story and POLITICUSUSA

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:

‘Something has to be done’: Trump's quest to rewrite history of the Russia probe — The U.S. intelligence community long ago produced evidence of Russia's illegal interference in the 2016 presidential election to try to boost Donald Trump's candidacy. Then the special counsel investigating …

Discussion: Raw Story

Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review:
Why Wasn't Andrew McCabe Charged?

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Daniel Chaitin / Washington Examiner:
Top Mueller prosecutor: DOJ starting new investigation into James Comey, Andrew McCabe, and Peter Strzok

Discussion: Redstate, The Gateway Pundit, TheBlaze and PJ Media Home

Daniel Dale / CNN:

Trump campaign manager deletes dramatic Air Force One photo after people point out it's from 2004 — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump's campaign manager deleted a tweet featuring a dramatic photo of Air Force One at the Daytona 500 after users pointed out that the shot …

Discussion: The Hill

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

Senate braces for fight over impeachment whistleblower testimony — Senators are reviving the fight over the whistleblower complaint at the center of the months-long impeachment effort against President Trump. — With Trump's trial in the rearview mirror, the Senate Intelligence Committee …

Houston Chronicle:

We recommend Amy Klobuchar in Democratic primary for president [Editorial] — It's difficult to watch even now — that graceless moment during Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation when he cracked under pressure, shattering the fine shell of judicial temperament and hurling contempt at a senator across the room.

Shant Shahrigian / New York Daily News:

Topless protesters storm stage as Bernie Sanders campaigns in Nevada — A group of protesters blew their tops — literally — as Sen. Bernie Sanders was campaigning in Carson City, Nev., on Sunday. — The Democratic presidential hopeful had just finished introducing his wife Jane O'Meara Sanders as …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Laura Barrón-López / Politico:

‘A complete disaster’: Fears grow over potential Nevada caucus malfunction — Anxiety is rising over the possibility of another tech-induced meltdown at the Nevada Democratic caucuses on Saturday. — In interviews, three caucus volunteers described serious concerns about rushed preparations …

Discussion: The Mahablog and The Nevada Independent

Evan Semones / Politico:

Biden admits South Carolina may be make-or-break for campaign — But the former vice president says it is too early to count him out. — Former Vice President Joe Biden. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden suggested on Sunday that winning South Carolina's primary …

Discussion: CNN, Associated Press, Washington Post, The Week and Breitbart

Axios: How Joe Biden's free fall puts Bernie in command

Washington Post:

Trust and consequences … It was time for another hearing in the ongoing efforts of the U.S. government to deport a Honduran teenager named Kevin Euceda, who had already been in detention for more than two years. In a Northern Virginia courtroom, U.S. immigration judge Helaine Perlman peered …

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:

Democrats Plan to Highlight Health Care and Jobs Over Investigating Trump — With impeachment behind them and an eye on November, Democrats appear to have decided that focusing on President Trump's norm-shattering words and deeds only elevates him. — WASHINGTON — House Democrats …

Axios:

Inside the Trump campaign's big hedge on Facebook — The Trump campaign has invested most of its advertising budget to date on Facebook, testing thousands of versions of ads per day to maximize its spending. — But behind the scenes, a source familiar with the campaign tells Axios …

Evie Fordham / Fox Business:

China ‘still lying’ about coronavirus outbreak: Sen. Tom Cotton — Cotton called for a “targeted travel ban” on flights from China to the U.S. in late January — Sen. Tom Cotton said Sunday that China is “still lying” about the gravity of the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 1,660 people.

Kevin Freking / Associated Press:

Trump taking in Daytona 500 before heading West — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump will give the command for drivers at the Daytona 500 to start their engines Sunday as he looks to win over NASCAR fans. And he will soon be off and running as well with a Western state swing …

Discussion: Washington Post, Breitbart and Politico

Dallas Morning News:

We won't recommend a candidate for president in 2020 and here's why — The Dallas Morning News will recommend policy ideas to help prompt much-needed civil discourse to guide our leaders. … If asked to identify one thing that has made this country unique and a model for the world …

CNN:

The US is finally evacuating Americans from the Diamond Princess. Here's why that's made them mad — (CNN)The US plan to evacuate Americans and their families from the Diamond Princess cruise ship appears, on its face, to be the case of a powerful government coming to the aid of its most vulnerable citizens.

Discussion: UPI and New York Post

Zach Everson / NBC News:

Trump's Secret Service hotel racket is hiding in plain sight. And he's getting away with it. — A complete accounting of how much taxpayers have forked over to the Trump Organization since its CEO's election is as likely as a Trump pardon for Michael Cohen.

Discussion: Washington Post

Allan Smith / NBC News:

Buttigieg hits back: I won't ‘take lectures on family values’ from Rush Limbaugh — Limbaugh suggested Americans wouldn't elect Buttigieg because he is gay, saying, “How's this going to look ... on stage next to Mr. Man Donald Trump?” — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg …

Discussion: HuffPost, Daily Kos, Vox, Associated Press and Politico

Wall Street Journal:

Democratic Candidates Sharpen Criticisms of Bloomberg — Rivals for their party's presidential nomination say former New York mayor's past views on law enforcement and economic issues would hinder chances of defeating the president